Windshield cleaner



Feb. 12, 1957 g, sc ETAL 2,780,824

WINDSHIEILD CLEANER Original Filed March 22, 1947 I1 [NVENTORS ANTHONYG. Sc/NTA and ANTON RAPPL,(I8SEC( MARION TRUST COMPANY of Buffalo,

y Execufor aw Ym ATTORNEYJ' United States Patent WINDSHIELD CLEANERAnthony C. Scinta, Buflalo, N. Y., and Anton Rappl, deceased, late ofEggertsville, N. Y., by The Marine Trust Company of Buffalo, executor,Buffalo, N. Y.; said Scinta and Rappl assignors to Trieo ProductsCorporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application June 25, 1953, Serial No. 364,046, now Patent No. 2,672,641,dated March 23, 1954, which is a continuation of application Serial No.736,492, March 22, 1947. Divided and this application February 25, 1954,Serial No. 412,544

Claims. (Cl. 15-245) This invention relates to the windshield cleaningart and primarily to a wiper or blade for the well-known automaticwindshield cleaning mechanism currently used on the modern car,

More particularly the invention relates to a cleaner for wiping thesurface of curved Windshields and Windows, the primary object of thepresent invention being to provide a wiper wherein the spring pressurefrom its actuating arm is transmitted through a resilient support forthe wiping blade to more effectively and uniformly wipe the curvedsurface.

it has heretofore been proposed to suspend a wiping member betweenspaced points of suspension by means of yokes to effectively apply thespring pressure along the blade in a surface-conforming manner.

The present invention further has for its object to provide a wiper forcurved surfaces in which a wiping pres sure would be more effectivelydistributed throughout the length of the wiping edge through anarrangement of yokes that affords a sturdiness in the structure toresist stress and strain as the wiper is swept sidewise over the curvedsurface.

Further, the invention will be found to reside in a curved surface wiperwherein its pressure distributing super-structure is associated with acontinuous backing support for the wiping element in a manner to providea compactness and low sitting structure. for reducing its surfaceexposure to the wind currents in minimizing the lifting tendency of thelatter and thereby insuring a more eifective wiping action.

The invention will also be found to reside in an improved constructionof wiper which is practical and one which will readily conform itself tothe surface being wiped.

' The foregoing and other objects will manifest themselves as thefollowing description progresses, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in longitudinal section and partly in sideelevation of a windshield cleaner constructed in accordance with thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken about on line 22 of Fig. 1;

i Fig. 3 is a detailed view in side elevation, with parts broken away tomore clearly show its connection to the blade;

Fig. 4 is afragmentary longitudinal section taken in a plane immediatelybeneath the back wall of the primary yoke.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 364,046, nowPatent 2,672,641, March 23, 1954, which was a continuation of Serial No.736,492, filed March 22, 1947, since abandoned.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates therubber or squeegee body of the blade, the same having a wiping edge 2along one margin 2,780,824 Patented Feb. 12, 1957 which is preferablycontinuous from end to end. The opposite margin of this molded rubberbody may be enlarged as at 3 and provided with opposite side faces 4converging toward the wiping edge 2 to thereby give the same a generallytriangular cross sectional shape. The rubber body is provided with athin backing strip 5 of spring metal or the like, which backing striphas body embracing fingers 6 along its opposite margins for clampinglygripping upon the converging faces 4. Out- Wardly beyond the fingers 6the rubber body may be formed with side ribs 7 to give support to therelatively thin wiping edge 2 and at the same time provide substantialthickness to the body Where it may fold or bend over the outer ends ofthe fingers The wiper is attached to its carrying arm 8 by a suitableclip 9 and is directly supported by a pressure distributing frame orholder to which the clip is secured. The pressure distributing framecomprises a primary yoke member 10 and plural secondary yoke members 12,the latter being connected to the opposite ends of the primary yoke, asby pins 11. The opposite ends of each secondary yoke member areconnected by pin and slot connections 13 to the backing strip 5,sufficient clearance being provided to afford ample play foraccommodating relative movement between parts as the wiping edgeconforms itself to changes in surface contour of the curved windshieldsurface indicated by the numeral 14. The rubber body may have its backmargin notched out, as indicated at 15, to carry out the thought of thisplay.

The inner ends of the secondary yokes are extended to cross or overlapeach other, as at 17, thereby affording a torque resisting structurewhich will give to the intermediate blade portion proper support againsttwisting between the remote points of support. Preferably the secondaryyokes are formed of flat spring stock. In the illustrated embodiment thepins or rivets are positioned normal to the backing strip, with theseveral slots being formed along the center line thereof. If desired, asecond spring strip 18 may underlie the backing strip to reinforce thesame, and for a like purpose the inner extremities of the secondaryyokes may be enlarged for receiving the fasteners, as shown in Fig. 4.The secondary yokes are flexibly connected by the pin and slot means 11to the opposite ends of the primary yoke 19 to afford sufiicient playbetween parts for surface conformance of the wiping edge. The secondaryyoke flat spring could have its end portions separately fastened to theprimary yoke since its movement is a yielding one and its pressureapplying arms are of relatively different strength and tension.

When wiping over a convex surface the back portion of the squeegee unit1, 5 will move relative to the pri: mary yoke 10 into the latter, and inthis connection it will be observed that the primary yoke is curvedlongitudinally and of channel shape in cross section, Fig. 2. The backportion of the squeegee unit is designed to have a movement of recessionwithin the channeled primary, this being permitted by the nestedrelation of the squeegee unit within the arcuate channel formation ofthe primary yoke. By reason of this nesting of the back portion of thesqueegee unit within the channel of the primary yoke the pressuredistributing superstructure 10,

12 will be brought down closer to the wiping element 1 and therebyreduce the height of the wiper on the windshield. The low sittingsuperstructure provides for compactness and reduces the upstandingsurface area exposed to wind currents to minimize the-lifting tendencyof the latter upon the wiper. When moving over a concave surface theback portion of the wiper will have a movement in a direction outward ofthe primary channel.

The secondary yokes are so arranged with respect to the primary yokethat a differential pressure applying blade support is provided to givemore uniformity in the distribution of the arm imposed spring pressureto the wiping edge. Obviously, this support will function on a plane,surface, as well as on a-curved surface in efficiently distributing thearm pressure. The squeegee or rubber body may be readily removed fromthe pressure differential support by simply sliding the body lengthwisefrom between the embracing fingers 6 when it is desired to replace thesame with a new wiping edge. These fingers together with the backingstrip 5 form a seat for the squeegee body. At the same time thesefingers do not detract from the flexibility of the backing strip sincethe fingers are free to move relative to each other.

The secondary yokes. provide transversely flat underfaces which recedeinto the primary channel as the secondaries carry the squeegee unittherewith, such flat underfaces moving closer to the transversely flatbottom of the inverted channel to jointly form therewith a supportingsurface for the squeegee unit as its back portion recedes thereinto.

By reason of the foregoing construction and arrangement, the inner endsof the, secondary yokes are disposed intermediate the outer ends of theprimary yoke. The pressure differential provides for the application ofa lighter pressure at such intermediate points relative to the urgeimpressed upon the outer or opposite ends of the blade. This gives acontrolled distribution of the arm impressed urge. The outer ends of theprimary yoke are flexibly connected by the pin and slot connection 11 togive freedom of movement to the blade in conforming its wiping edge tothe windshield surface. Should occasion demand, a reversal of the leverdifferential may be obtained for giving a relatively heavier pressure tothe intermediate portion of the blade as compared to that applied to theopposite ends thereof.

The connecting members 13 not only serve as torqueresisting members inthat they resist rotational movement of the backing strip but they alsoserve to hold the multiple leaves 5 and 18 in assembled relation therebyproviding a backing for the'blade of leaf spring construction forgreater resiliency, one leaf only being formed with the blade grippingfingers. 6. These torque-resisting members 13 slidably support thebacking strip up against the underfaces of the ends of the secondaryyokes to insure a nesting relation of the backing strip with the primarychannel when passing over a convex surface. This nesting relationbetween the side walls of the primary channel affords lateral supportfor the sliding connection 13 and, further, it provides for a compactwiper structure with a minimum surface exposure to the cross windcurrents which tend to lift the wiper off the glass.

While the foregoing description has been given in detail it is not theintention to thereby limit the invention since the inventive principlesinvolved are capable of.

assuming other physical embodiments without departing from the spirit ofthe invention and the scope of the ppe ims- What is claimed is:

1. A windshield cleaner comprising a squeegee unit having a flexibleblade body and a flexible nonextensible backing strip thereforconformable to the surface being wiped, a pressure distributing holdercomprising a primary yoke and plural secondary yokes longitudinally andmovably mounted on' the opposite ends of the primary yoke, the outerends of the secondary yokes being operatively connected to the backingstrip and the inner end portions of the secondary yokes crossing eachother and having their inner extremities slidably bearing in transversefacial contact on the backing strip, and means slidably. connecting saidinner extremities of the secondary yokes to the backing strip forsliding thereon longitudinally thereof.

2. A windshield cleaner-.eomprising a flexible squeegee unit conformableto the surface being wiped and including a flexible blade body and anonextensible backing strip therefor flexible in surface conformance, apressure distributing holder comprising a longitudinally disposedchanneled primary yoke and plural secondary yokes longitudinally mountedon the, opposite ends of the primary yoke and having their outer endsoperatively connected to the baekingstrip and-theirinner ends crossingone another within the channel of the primary yoke to jointly form alongitudinal series of spaced points of support for the squeegee unitthroughout the length of the holder, and means slidably connecting saidinner ends of the secondary yokes to the backing strip, the back portionof the squeegee unit being carried by said inner ends for recedingmovement within the channel of the primary yoke to receive lateralsupport for the connecting means by the side walls of the channel whenthe squeegee unit is moved sidewise over a convex surface.

3. A windshield cleaner comprising a flexible squeegee unit conformableto the surface being wiped and including a flexible blade body and anonextensible backing strip therefor flexible in surface conformance,and a pressure distributing holder comprising a channeled primary yokeand plural secondary yokes longitudinally mounted on the opposite endsof the primary yoke and having their outer ends operatively connected tothe backing strip and their inner ends crossing one another within thechannel of the primary yoke to jointly form a longitudinal series ofspaced points of support for the squeegee unit throughout the length ofthe holder.

4. A wiper for cleaning a curved surface, comprising a blade flexiblefor conforming to the surface curvature, a longitudinally mountedprimary yoke having an arm attaching part, and a longitudinally mountedsecondary yoke for each end of the primary yoke connected intermediateits ends to the respective end of the primary yoke and having itsopposite ends flexibly connected to the blade, said blade having aflexible backing strip to which the opposite ends of the secondary yokesare connected, each secondary yoke being in the form of a flat springwith one of its resilient ends slidably connected to the backing strip,the, inner end portion of the secondary yokes crossing one another tomutually afford lateral support for the secondary yokes.

5. A wiper for cleaning a curved surface, comprising a blade flexiblefor conforming to the surface curvature, a longitudinally disposedprimary yoke having an arm attaching part, a longitudinally disposedsecondary yoke for each end of the primary yoke connected intermediateits ends to the respective end of the primary yoke and having itsopposite ends flexibly connected to the blade, such blade having asurface-conforming backing strip to which the opposite ends of thesecondary yokes are connected, said backing strip having a resilient andcontinuous back portion with blade straddling fingers on its oppositeside margins for holding the blade and strip together, and a springstrip interposed between the blade and the backing strip and lyingbetween the straddling fingers to form, therewith a multi-leafedsurface. conforming backing for the blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDv STATES PATENTS1,463,590 Pedersen July 31, 1923 2,543,383 Scinta Feb. 27, 19512,596,063 Anderson May 6, 1952

